I have seen a bunch of posts on here lately about fishing line different types and styles and just wanted to see what everyones opinion is on line in general. How much do you think about line when you are fishing, I mean do the fish really see the different types of lines in the water, does the color of the line really matter that much as if fishing with braid to fishing for clear flouro or a neon orange mono? How much thought of this sort do you put into fishing line before you fish or while your fishing?


I personally never thought about half of the things I have read on here until now but I still dont really pay attention to it until its been used for about a year or my spool gets low...

Deep water or long casts I'll use braid. Use pline cx premium for everything else. Haven't used fluoro much but the few times I have I just didn't like it. Line memory and doesn't cast as smooth for me. I only worry about line being visible in really clear water, most lakes around here not so much.

I think visiblity matters a lot. Especially in heavily fished public lakes. My rod and reel combinations are matched with the line best suited for the specific technique and that includes color. So, all the "thought" process is already in. Conditions where I use braid aren't as critical, visually. For instance, on frogs over heavy vegetation or snapping rattlebaits out of grass. But, yes, line color matters, as does line diameter. Rule of thumb: the clearer the water, the smarter the fish, the more it matters.

Kinda confusing because of all of the lines I have tried at Amistad and nothing really seems to make a difference to the fish Line wise...

I like Fluorocarbon because it has less stretch than mono and has great abraision resistance. Plus it sinks and in some applications that does matter. It also lasts longer than mono. So for most applications I have 15-20lb Seaguar InvisX or AbraisX on, plastics, jigs, spinnerbaits some crankbaits. I use 8lb InvisX and 10lb AbraisX on my spinning rods. I will go down to 10lb InvisX when crankbaiting if depth the crankbait is running is a concern.

I like Braid for 2 things, flipping/pitching in grass and frogs. Nothing else. Braid cuts through grass better than anything else. I can't see Braid above the water and am a line watcher, so no other applications for braid work for me. PowerPro and Stren round braid are the 2 I have.

I use mono only for topwater fishing, nothing else. I like the stretch mono provides when using treble hooked topwaters over braid which has 0 stretch. Original Stren mainly, but I did buy some Seaguar Mono to try this year.

I am really less worried about what the fish see than I am about other properties. But there are times where that makes a difference. BASS had an event at the Delta in Cali a few years back that Cruz won. The guys in the top 10 that flipped, used Fluoro. The guys flipping that used braid didn't fair as well. So there are times it matters, hard to figure out what times those are short of if you are not getting bites, might try the other.

I'm still amazed that a bamalama rig has 5 wireeaders with swimbaits everywhere and people worry about the fish seeing the line. I guess on a super clear highly pressured lake it might matter.

Thats kinda what I was thinking.

You'll find that Flouro makes a bigger difference on slow-moving baits like jigs and plastics because of light refraction, or lack-there-of.

Reaction baits like traps, cranks, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits don't give the fish enough time to examine a bait, so line characteristics like stretch or density play a bigger factor than refraction.

Bass will examine a bait very closely if its just laying on the bottom. If you don't believe me, watch a bed fish that has been harassed by a few different anglers. It's amazing how they bite the bait right behind the hook 80% of the time. It makes a difference in some, but not all conditions.

I think the A-rig just overwhelms their senses to the point that they almost have to hit under the right circumstances, wires or no wires.

Right, and that'll change after they been stung for a couple years on those wires.

I have some mono (big Game 15lb) that Ive had for two years in my house. Is it okay to use or should I buy new line?

This may answer your question; how much is loosing the fish of a lifetime worth to you? If you care, spend 5-15 bucks and get new line, if not then spool up that old line.

As far as what kind of line, I was skeptical about fluorcarbon line until I had a back seater out catch me 2-1 while I had braid on. I now fish with fluoro when ever my lure is going to be 'looked at' by a bass. For example, worms, jigs etc.
I have one rod with braid for frogs and heavy, heavy brush, and mono (mccoys mean green) for anything else that moves, like cranks, and other topwaters.

You'll get a different answer for every response, but my attitude is why take chances on the only thing that connects you with the fish?

This may answer your question; how much is loosing the fish of a lifetime worth to you? If you care, spend 5-15 bucks and get new line, if not then spool up that old line.

Now that's a good, honest answer

That brings up a question I have...Does brand new line on a spool have a shelf life? If it hasn't been spooled onto your reel and used, does it "go bad"? My Dad bought 1000yds of 12lb Trilene XL Mono about 4 years ago, and it's still in my boat. I spooled some up in a pinch about two months ago and went to Monticello, and proceeded to break off two fish that day. I borrowed some line from my buddy and threw that mono away!

Line will last for many years IF it's kept in a cool, dark place. Heat and light are the enemies of fishing line. For years, I've kept my filler spools in my spare fridge, where I keep other very important items.

pretty much how I feel and dont understand why fish would care about line if they dont care about wire...

I dont plan on breaking off and this has nothing to do with that, it has to do with visibility of the line and how much thought you put into the fish being able to see it...

Appreciate the feedback.